Hello,
In the book of John, Jesus calls himself, “the good shepherd.” What makes him “good”?
Years ago, I found myself in a church with lots of kids in 4H, and so when county fair time came around, that is where I found myself, rubbing shoulders with the folks and their animals at the Hancock County Fair. Before I went to that church, I had never stepped foot on the grounds of a county fair. (Is there such a thing in suburban Chicago?) I can’t say that I became an expert in animal judging, but I learned a lot. I learned that some pigs were really “handsome” and “pretty”. I learned that some calves had nice legs and nice rear ends. I learned that some sheep were sturdy. And I learned this: the kids who brought high quality animals were considered “good” animal raisers. The more perfect the animal, the “good-er” the one who brought it.
Is that what makes Jesus a “good” shepherd? That he raises really good sheep?
That may be the criteria that county fair animal judgers use to determine what makes a person a “good” animal raiser, but when we listen to what Jesus says about what makes him “good”, it is clearly a different criterion. Jesus said that what makes him “good” is the depth of his care for his sheep, even to the point of being willing to wrestle with a wolf, to lay down his life, for his sheep. Unlike a hired hand who would run for cover when the wolves prowl, because they don’t care for the sheep, they only care for themselves, Jesus would run to save a wolf stalked sheep, because he cares for the sheep and not for himself. Willingly. Not because someone has told him he has to, but because his heart tells him he has to.
Interestingly enough, Jesus never (at least I can’t think of a time) talks about the quality (goodness) of his sheep. He simply says that he is so connected to them that he knows them by name, and when he calls them, they come running to him because they know that the one who is calling has self-giving love for them. Unlike those shepherds who are mostly concerned with the quality of the sheep, considering some of the sheep more worthy of attention than others, and even more worthy of living than others, it is not so with Jesus. Jesus is concerned with caring for the sheep, each and everyone of the sheep….. considering each one worthy of his complete attention, and each one’s life so valuable that he would give his life for each on. Even the gimpy ones, the dumb ones, the ugly ones, the stubborn ones, the mean ones, the old ones, the young ones, the skinny ones, the ill ones, the bothersome ones, the…..
So, when Jesus sees one of his sheep in trouble, a sheep who bears his name, there is only one thing that comes into his mind, “I have to save that sheep.” The Bible tells us so, “for there is no other name under heaven given among mortals by which we must be saved.’ (Acts 4:12)
“That sheep is mine,” says Jesus, “and I must save it.” ….save it when sin like a wolf has its teeth clasping its neck, save it when curiosity makes it wander into dry and arid lands, save it when it has fallen into a hole of its own making and is starving to death, save it when the world shames it and it sees no reason to live, save it when death is stampeding over it. That is the depth of his care for his sheep, and that, according to Jesus, is what makes him good.
I am thankful that Jesus, according to the Bible, is not out to have a flock of perfectly good sheep, but instead is out to perfectly love each and every sheep that he has. I say that because I know that I am not a very good sheep. I know that I possess every quality that a shepherd who is trying to raise a perfectly good flock would want eliminated from his flock. If it is perfect sheep that the shepherd wants, I am pretty sure that when the wolf came prowling, such a shepherd would put a sign on me that says, “Take this one.”
But nonetheless, Jesus is the good shepherd, good because of the depth of care for each of his sheep, when Jesus sees the wolf trying to drag me away into his den, Jesus comes and tugs me away saying, “You can’t have this one. This one is mine.” So when you look in the mirror of your life and see a sheep that is far from perfect, and you see a wolf with drooling jowls lurking nearby…..have no fear....for you are tended by the Good Shepherd, the shepherd who so cares for you that he is willing to lay down his life for you….not because you are such a good sheep….but because he is such a good shepherd.
Have a great week.
God’s grace and peace, (ggap)
Pastor Jerry Nuernberger
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